Best 440 Piston on a budget

Just buying bottom end components and looking for some input. 440, .030 over pistons... There is a great disparity in pricing and a lot of good brands, but what works for a 500+ hp 440? Your input is appreciated as always.

I think the cheapest thing going these days is the KB hypereutectic. I'm building a 440 with a set right now.

The other option is a good used set of TRW's or Sealed Power forged. They are strong but heavy.

I was looking at the KB's...I am going to run 6 pack rods with whatever piston I buy. Do you mind tellling me what you paid for your KB's? And where you got them from? I seen a new set on ebay for 350ish.

KBs are reasonably price, but when the go they go in the worst kind of way, If you ever blow an engine with these be prepared to tear up a whole bunch a shit, as far as cheaper pistons I would personally recommend TRWs as far a GREAT piston I would go with JEs, but these rascals are pricey!

I would also lose the heavy Six Pack rods too,.....why add more weight than you need to the reciprocating parts on the bottom end ? ...what you will gain in strength it's worth the weight you add, ...I have built and ran 440s and pushed 650+ horses on stock "Magnum" rods without any problems and without engine failures. ........just my opinion, and with that and 50 cents I can get a cup of coffee. :lotsocoffee:

Im gonna rock the boat. The 440 source forged flattops are a lot of bang for the buck.

I had my machine shop get them, and yes, they were about $350.00-ish.

The hypereutectic alloy is basically aluminum with too much silicon and was designed for smog era engines to allow a tighter wall clearance and a higher positioning of the top ring to trap less raw fuel. Because the extra silicon makes the piston more brittle they are not as forgiving, so do not allow the engine to detonate! Get your timing curve right!! The brittleness of the material would explain the above comment by 69 R/T.

Wouldn't be my first choice for a piston...you would be better off with a cast Ohio or Badger...that way when you step up your only out a $100.
buy a forged piston it's cheaper in the long run.IMHO

High quality and at a reduced price...:

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?t=4998

Ray

Go with JE piston, or Wiseco. Don't skimp on pistons if you can help it. Well worth the extra cost. I haven't broke a JE yet, on motor only.

Go with JE piston, or Wiseco. Don't skimp on pistons if you can help it. Well worth the extra cost. I haven't broke a JE yet, on motor only.

BINGO ! , I swear by JE pistons.

Thanks boys, experience is wealth.

Thanks boys, experience is wealth.

" Cheap Pistons are NEVER a bargain when you have to walk down the track and pick them up and put them in a five gallon bucket " :rolling:

High quality and at a reduced price...:

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?t=4998

Ray

Too bad their 13.5:1... I plan on a streetable 10/10.5:1 pump gas motor. Thats the kind of deal I need tho' thanks!

I would also lose the heavy Six Pack rods too,.....why add more weight than you need to the reciprocating parts on the bottom end ? ...what you will gain in strength it's worth the weight you add, ...I have built and ran 440s and pushed 650+ horses on stock "Magnum" rods without any problems and without engine failures. ........just my opinion, and with that and 50 cents I can get a cup of coffee. :lotsocoffee:

I have been back and forth with the rod issue, what am I looking for in a Magnum rod? The block I am using is a 78 vintage with a cast crank and stock rods. The rods I have are 1970 6 pack rods.

I have been back and forth with the rod issue, what am I looking for in a Magnum rod? The block I am using is a 78 vintage with a cast crank and stock rods. The rods I have are 1970 6 pack rods.

I just (this summer) bought a set of K1 Technologies H-Beam Rods for my A12 for a little over $400. K1 Technologies is a sister company to Wiseco. You can't get a set of stockers reworked that cheap (by anybody you'd really want doing them anyway) these days; nor would the stockers take the same degree of abuse. Save the coins and get a better set of rods at the same time. Unload those heavy '70 rods on some E-Body resto-clown for twice what you paid for them at the next swap meet...:D

ACME

I just (this summer) bought a set of K1 Technologies H-Beam Rods for my A12 for a little over $400. K1 Technologies is a sister company to Wiseco. You can't get a set of stockers reworked that cheap (by anybody you'd really want doing them anyway) these days; nor would the stockers take the same degree of abuse. Save the coins and get a better set of rods at the same time. Unload those heavy '70 rods on some E-Body resto-clown for twice what you paid for them at the next swap meet...:D

ACME

In my opinion K1 is the best rod money can buy, They are machined to the closest tolerances of any rod available, and the weights are dead nuts accurate on each rod, Yes, I like them better than Eagle, but Eagles are very good also and a little cheaper,

You need to get away from the cast crank and heavy rods like the 6pack rod.Steel cranks are plentiful and not that expensive. Try to find some LY rods, they are good to 500 plus horses. The cast crank and heavy rods will be very exspensive to do an internal balance job on. JMO.

Thanks, I failed to mention I have a good steel forged crank... I'll check out the cost of a set of K1's and see what type of stock rods I have in my 78 block...anyone need a set of 6 pack rods?...lol

Thanks, I failed to mention I have a good steel forged crank... I'll check out the cost of a set of K1's and see what type of stock rods I have in my 78 block...anyone need a set of 6 pack rods?...lol

Buying good Quality parts are somewhat like an insurance policy for your Engine, the Better the parts are the less likely you are to have an Engine failure. Don't skimp on the Important stuff.

I couldn't agree more, just want to spend the money wisely. Anyone using Arias pistons?

I have used them several times before on customers engines and once on one of my personal engines a long time ago, They are good, :yes:I still like JEs much better, would I used them again ? :no:No, but I would choose them over KBs any day ! Just my Opinion.

and I still wouldn't use the heavy azzed six pack rods in any performance engine of mine. :grin:

Thanks, I'll likely shop for a set of Eagles or equivalent as far as the rods go. I am trying to find decent pricing on pistons up here in Canada.

Thanks, I'll likely shop for a set of Eagles or equivalent as far as the rods go. I am trying to find decent pricing on pistons up here in Canada.

They can be found here in the states easily, but due the shipping price hike by the U.S. Postal service it makes bargain hunting tough, Shipping back and forth across the "Northern Border" has gotten ridiculously expensive.

For us Northerners its always a crap shoot with shipping and duties. I have saved quite a bit buying numerous goods from the US. I can buy an Eddy RPM Performer 70-80- dollars cheaper here than from Summit out of the US. No rhyme or reason...

I built my sons 400 and my 440 on tight budget's. That said my brother gave me KB pistons for both and they have worked flawless. The thing with KB pistons is you have to set the ring gaps as they tell you and the top gap is really important as it uses a wider then normal ring gap. My sons 400 has been together since 2002 and he shifts it at 6700. Never a single problem with it. My 440 has the quench pad pistons so I get 10.0 comp with quench using 906 heads. I have had my 63 together since 2006 and have raced it many times including 5 times this year. I do agree JE , Weisco or Ross are the best pistons but the KB will work fine in a mild build as long as you set the ring gaps right. Ron

Thanks 383man, your experiences help. I want to be able to make an educated choice and I am getting an education here.
I was looking at a set of Scat H beam rods on Summits site last night for $460, anyone ever use these? 383man, what did you use for rods in your sons car?

Look at the stroker kits, very affordable and will turn your 66 into a torque monster,you won,t be disappointed. http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/44stki.html

I am using Arias pistons in my 440, i don't remember the part number. No problems at all even with a 200 shot of nitrous. But i am using VP race fuel not pump gas. For my weekend warrior any of the top brand forged pistons should work fine. I have tried Probe, TRw, Wiseco all with out any problems. My choice was dependent on what Type of setup i was building. And for similar types of forged pistons cost was also a factor, some time manufactures run deals when your in the market or your builder can get ya a deal. Good Luck , let us know what you end up using.

I,m told by sources that should know that 440 source slugs are cast by kb.

I,m told by sources that should know that 440 source slugs are cast by kb.

I wouldn't doubt it, .....It's the Hypereutectic factor that makes pistons useless junk in my opinion.

they sell forged too

Thanks for the info, haven't made a final decision yet...it looks like forged slugs will slide into the holes.
-J

Thanks for the info, haven't made a final decision yet...it looks like forged slugs will slide into the holes.
-J

Can't go wrong with Forged, they would be my number one choice.:yes:

I worked selling high performance racing parts we got KB and claimer pistons back in the defects department alot also steer clear of federal mogul,and as for rods K1 are awesome and im not sure about the price difference,but manley makes pretty damn good rods and pistons,we sold alot of them and some customers would swear buy them,dont cheap out on pistons,or rods I agree with the other guys good components are like extra insurance usually u get what u pay for,just my opinion.

I run Ross flat tops. Forged pistons with a nice thick deck for lots of nitrous if you wish. Also reasonably priced. I also run stock non-six pack rods(lighter) that i polished myself with a die grinder and on a belt sander from 80 grit down to 400. Have the small end machined and bronze bushed for the .990 pin, the big end resized, shot peen,install some ARP bolts, and your good to go. At the time this was a less expensive proposition than new rods.:santa:

It's time to go shopping...The usual suspects for on-line are Summit, any others that offer good pricing and selection? Thanks for the input by everyone, it is greatly appreciated.